Citizen’s group petitions FDA to ban bc patch
On May 8 Public Citizen, a group founded by Ralph Nader, filed a petition with the FDA to ban Johnson & Johnson’s Ortho-Evra birth control patch. It stated:
Compared to standard 35 microgram estrogen/progestin oral contraceptives, Ortho-Evra results in:
60% more estrogen on average exposure; greater variability in estrogen levels; a possible two-fold increased risk of venous thrombosis (typically, painful blood clots of the leg which can travel to the lungs and cause death); increased risk of side effects such as breast discomfort, severe menstrual pain, nausea, and vomiting; a 50% increased likelihood of [contraceptive] discontinuation; no improvement in contraceptive outcomes.
According to PC’s press release…
In 1988, the FDA requested the withdrawal of all oral contraceptives with estrogen levels greater than 50 mcg because of the risk of blood clots and lack of additional contraceptive efficacy. The Ortho-Evra patch contains estrogen equivalent on average to a 56 mcg pill.
According to LawyersandSettlements.com, May 7, which is currently probing a class action lawsuit:
Currently, more than 3,000 women and their families in the U.S. are suing Johnson and Johnson, the makers of the Ortho Evra birth control patch, because they have suffered life threatening adverse health effects such as blood clots, heart attacks, and stroke, as a result of using this controversial form of birth control. Some 40 women have died while using it [since it was approved in 2002].
PC has also petitioned the FDA to ban all third generation oral contraceptives for their increased risk of blood clots.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
What exactly is a third-generation oral contraceptive? More specifically, what does the phrase “third-generation” refer to?
Leah, according to the website they are bc pills containing desogestrel, a synthetic form of progesterone. Wikipedia has more on that:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desogestrel
Grazie!
Hey Leah, I think that’s supposed to be “Merci,” eh?
Well all I can say is: good. The Patch sucks.
Caught me, Doug! :)
Thank you, gracias, merci, grazie, danke, I used to know how to say it in Arabic too. I’m rusty.
Better? :)
Rae,
Are we still on? I cleaned your room today, and your bathroom. Got you a new towel and asked the hubby to wash your sheets in the “good stuff”…
The kids ask about you every day. The hubby also says he’ll take us to the Aquarium and if possible the A.Girl store on Saturday…????
@MK: Yes, we are still on! :D I’m heading down there immediately after my exam! I’ll call you when I’m on my way out of town!
I’m reeeeeeeeally excited! W00t!
You’re gonna need to email me a grocery list again. Michaels home from college and I’m starting to think I should just camp out at the Jewel!
And NyahNyah, I’m MORE excited than yoooooou are!
@MK: I eat everything except fruit. :)
How much do you want to bet that I’m more excited than you?
(Oh my goodness, I’m watching the most amazing episode of House, EVAR!)
Leah, 8:04PM
Vous voulez dire “merci beaucoup” n’est pas?
Jill ne sera pas tres heureuse si j’ecrire francais so I will finish this in English. :)
Saturday for the Aquarium?!!
That would work out great for meee!(I think!)
I wonder how I’m going to talk to my mom about meeting people I met off the internet…..:/
Rae,
How much do you want to bet that I’m more excited than you?
UH~UH! Are not!!! *raspberry*
Leah: Better? :)
High-five.
Shukran, arigato, tesekkur, go sum dah, spasiba.
Elizabeth,
I’ll have my kids with…tell your mom it’s a family thing. Tell her you know me from Aurora. Heck, bring her with! You’ll be bringing Gabriella, I hope?
Any other Chicago type people want to meet up at the Aquarium on Saturday? We can meet at the big tank in the middle at ?? o’clock?
Of course I am bringing Gabriella! It was one of my plans to take her to the aquarium this summer!
Here goes another reason why pro-contraceptive folks don’t want contraceptives banned… because they won’t have anyone to sue when they get sick.
I think I’ll have to take the train…could somebody meet me at the train station or give me directions the aquarium from there?? I don’t know how to navigate the city in my sleep like my brothers. :/
@MK and Elizabeth: WHOOOOO!
Elizabeth, I could come and pick you up…
I’m jealous, people, jealous.
Take pictures.
Post ’em.
That would rock…but do you know how to navigate the city at all?
Cause that’s one thing I will admit that I REALLY suck at!
@Elizabeth: I prolly suck too, but as long as I have Mapquest, it should be all good. :D
I would have bought dinner, but it was last week that I was in East Chicago….
Rae, on “The Sun,” I didn’t mean the tabloid variety, but rather the magazine:
http://www.thesunmagazine.org/
Elizabeth,
If you do take the train, yes I’ll pick you up. We might have to take a couple of cars (Rae has one too) and follow each other. I’m hopeless downtown. But my house isn’t IN the city. What train would you take? If you could get to my house (by car), we could caravan…
Yes, Carder, Most definitely will take pictures.
Actually,
I just counted. There would be 7 of us so we’d all fit in the van…You’d just have to get here. (To my house). Do you know how to get to Ohare?
I will look and see if there is a Metra train that stops where you live, MK.
Doug,
C’mon out for the weekend! Meet us at the Aquarium!
Just to be sure…is it this coming Saturday we are planning the aquarium or next Saturday? I think either one will work for me.
May 17th, Elizabeth. :)
E,
This one. YAHOO!
Hehe okay..I will make sure people don’t have things going on that wouldn’t permit me to go..my parents will be shocked I want to hang out with actual people..I never go out with anybody lol.
Leah, de nada… :)
They’re late to jump on the wagon here.
Most doctors have stopped prescribing the patch, and if people ask for it specifically, they’ll usually suggest the shot instead. My doctor refused to prescribe it from Day 1. I asked her about it and she just said “I don’t think its a good idea, lets stick with the pill.” She was spot-on.
Skin irritation and blood clots in the area where the patch is places were just too common.
I’m always hesistant to try new things like that anyawy – I’ll stick with the old school pill method.
”
Any other Chicago type people want to meet up at the Aquarium on Saturday? We can meet at the big tank in the middle at ?? o’clock?”
I’d love to meet ya’ll too, but it’s a 15 hour drive… perhaps next time…
Bobby,
If you left now, you could be there by Saturday. And bring Bambina! I’ve got a crib and a playpen!
Not to mention an awesome Catholic Church with a perpetual adoration chapel!
This is ominous.It’s just part of the slippery slope towards making all contraceptives illegal.
This is beyond stupidity.If this happens,
abortions will only INCREASE markedly,and a
black market in contraceptives will emerge.
Remember Prohibition? Did that stop people
from drinking? And organized crime had a field
day.I just saw the website by the wackos who
organized the insane march against the pill.
Frightening.
This is ominous.It’s just part of the slippery slope towards making all contraceptives illegal.
This is beyond stupidity.If this happens,
abortions will only INCREASE markedly,and a
black market in contraceptives will emerge.
Remember Prohibition? Did that stop people
from drinking? And organized crime had a field
day.I just saw the website by the wackos who
organized the insane march against the pill.
Frightening.
Mk,
I heard it was supposed to be crrrrrappy weather on saturday! Rain. :(
Oh, also, you don’t happen to have a carseat for a 2-year old do you? Cause if not, then I’d have to bring Gabriella’s down on the train with me. Ouch!
C’mon out for the weekend! Meet us at the Aquarium!
Thank you, MK, it’d be a blast. I was gone on Saturday, though, back to OH and WV and am leaving for Florida today. See you sometime…
@Elizabeth: How far from Chicago do you live? Because I can seriously come down there and pick you two up.
Hmm..about 40 minutes..but since you don’t know your way around the roads like my dad does..I would say about an hour!
@Elizabeth: I speed like a crazy mo’ fo’.
And I just noticed- somebody deleted my link to the Beastie Boys music video/song. Sadness. :(
Hehe..well u better drive safely..u will have my offspring in the car! I heard its supposed to rain on saturday though..I hope not. That would suck. a lot.
I’ll speed down to your place, but then drive slowly back…so it’ll even out the time for the trip. :)
I’m not sure what time we’ll be heading out for the day (gotta talk to MK ’bout that)- so that’ll determine when I pop down to where you live to pick you up, if that’s the route we decide to go.
I will let you know…I still haven’t talked to the parentals. :/